


One poor innings

by Rosetylars



Category: Cricket RPF, Sports RPF
Genre: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:21:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21569824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosetylars/pseuds/Rosetylars
Summary: Steve was disappointed to only make four runs in the Brisbane test, but Tim always knows what to say to help him feel better.
Relationships: Tim Paine/Steve Smith
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	One poor innings

**Author's Note:**

> This is a loose follow up to my previous story “It’s darker at night” but can be read on its own.
> 
> This is fiction.

It had been a strange first test so far. Pakistan had elected to bowl, and they batted for all of day one, their final wicket eventually falling at stumps. Steve had been itching to bat since before the coin toss, so he was initially disappointed to be fielding first. 

At least, when Steve was in the field, he could help the team. He spent most of the first day at second slip, and managed to take a catch. Every wicket, when the team came together, he was able to enjoy a quick hug with Tim without raising any suspicions. 

However, an incredible day two by the Australian top order derailed Steve’s batting intentions. Dave Warner managed to bat out the entire day for a gritty and unbeaten 151 at stumps - Marnus also not out at number three having made his half century. Earlier, Joe Burns had fallen an agonising three runs short of his century. 

The night after day two, Steve could barely sleep. He knew that in the morning, he would finally have his first chance to bat, in his own country, in over a year. 

As always, Tim could tell he was restless. “Don’t play the innings in your mind, Smudge,” Tim warned as they lay in bed. “You’ll be burnt out by the morning.”

Steve kissed Tim so he didn’t have to respond, or perhaps even admit that he knew Tim was right. 

About twelve hours later, Steve was walking back to the pavilion, a mere four runs to his name, shocked and disappointed to his bones, wishing he’d just listened to Tim and tried not to think about the match last night. 

The lunch break came a little while after Steve’s dismissal, and Tim found Steve exactly where he expected to. Steve was sitting alone in the second change room, which was used so rarely by the team that it was informally used as a room for the boys to muck around in during rain delays. He was in the corner of the wooden bench, his legs up on the empty bench in front of him. His eyes were closed, but Tim could sense the storm inside them. 

Steve opened his eyes as he heard Tim take a few steps towards him. 

“You don’t have to be alone, Steve,” Tim said softly. 

Steve rubbed his eyes. “Too embarrassed to face anyone,” he admitted. 

Tim sat down next to Steve, putting an arm around him and pulling him into the crook of his shoulder. With his free left hand, he brushed Steve’s hair back off his face. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about, Steve. Most normal batsmen have a rough innings here and there. You,” he pointed his finger into Steve’s chest, “are not a normal batsman. This was one innings out of dozens of incredible, heroic ones, and it won’t even effect the result too much because of how well Davey went and Marnus is going.”

“Four runs, Tim, and it’s all my fault too. Shouldn’t have tried to drive it square, what was I even thinking? I-“

Tim cut him off with a quick kiss on the forehead. “Shhh, we all make mistakes, it’s nothing to be ashamed of,” he reasoned. “You’re the best batsman in the world. If anything, today you proved to all the little boys and girls out there that you’re human, just like all of them.”

Steve’s heart lurched at Tim’s words, but he was still devastated. “My role for the team is to score runs, so I didn’t do my job,” Steve shook his head. 

Tim took Steve’s hand in both of his own. “We shouldn’t always put the pressure on you to save the innings or match for us. Let the other boys share the weight today,” Tim offered gently. 

Steve leaned further into the crook of Tim’s arm and rested his head on Tim’s shoulder. 

“It’s okay to feel disappointed, I know how badly you wanted it today,” Tim said after a while. 

Steve sighed and closed his eyes. “Just wanted to impress my captain.”

Tim raised an eyebrow, the first smile in a short while forming on his face. “You impress him every day, no matter what you’re doing,” Tim replied. 

“You’re flattering me because I’m upset,” Steve looked at Tim. 

Tim scoffed and shook his head. “I’m being honest. I love you whether you make a double century or a duck, and everything in between. No flattery, just honesty.”

Steve had finally calmed down slightly, his heart calmed a fraction and some of the tension had left his shoulders. Tim stood up and took his hand. “Come on, let’s have some lunch.”

***  
In the end, Steve’s one poor innings didn’t really matter, because the Aussies won by an entire innings and five runs anyway.

Even if they had have lost, Tim would’ve been right by Steve’s side until the end.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!


End file.
